Barrett finally jumps in, but polling shows Falk has closed the gap while he waited

(Madison, WI) – A new poll reported in WisPolitics.com shows former Dane Co. Executive Kathleen Falk and Mayor Tom Barrett equally competitive in a hypothetical general election matchup to unseat embattled Gov. Scott Walker. The poll comes on the heels of similar recent results in polling conducted by Marquette University Law School, showing Falk has made tremendous gains on both Barrett and Walker in just over a month.

While previous polls had shown Barrett leading a Democratic primary based on name recognition from his 2010 loss to Scott Walker, this poll reflects a fundamental shift in the dynamic of the race. In Barrett’s only public appearance since finally making a decision, his central argument – a claim made without any analysis or warrant – was his viability against Walker in a general election. This latest poll shows Barrett’s claim to be wrong, and undercuts his only rationale for choosing him in a Democratic primary.

“This polling reflects Wisconsinites getting to know Kathleen Falk and hearing her case as the strongest candidate to take on Scott Walker a general election,” said Michael Vaughn, spokesman for the group Wisconsin for Falk, which has run an independent statewide media campaign in support of Falk’s candidacy. “Kathleen Falk’s record of strong leadership and deep commitment to reuniting Wisconsin after the historic divisions of the last year make her the ideal candidate to challenge Scott Walker in the general election.”